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Annual Leave Entitlements for Seasonal Workers

Annual leave has always been calculated for those working term time only using the 12.07% formula, however recent advice is that due to current case law annual leave cannot be calculated on a pro rata basis, and all staff are entitled to a minimum of 28 days including bank holidays.

Staff that work all year round, although they too get their full entitlement of 28 days they have to use 8 of their annual leave days for the bank holidays, and ensure that they have leave to use when the company shuts for Christmas. 

By no longer calculating term time workers annual leave on a pro rata basis, it does seem more appealing and favourable to be a term time only employee.

I assume that as seasonal workers do not work bank holidays and are on an annualised salary, we cannot remove their bank holidays to keep them in line with the all year round staff?

What would the outcome be if seasonal staff were continued to be paid using the 12.07% calculation?

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  • Welcome to the communities.

    I think your advisor appears to be confusing too things. Rolled up holiday pay ( where a % is added to weekly salary to pay for/compensate for holiday) is unlawful and has been for some time. However it happens.

    However that doesn’t meant that someone who works say 36 weeks of the year is entitled to the same annual leave as someone working 52 weeks. They still get their annual leave pro-rata to their fte person.

    Most people in your situation would roll in bank holidays into the calculations and pro-rata them as well.
  • In reply to Keith:

    I think Samantha may be thinking about the Brazel V Harpur Trust ruling which the Court of Appeal did find that someone who works term time only is entitled to the same annual leave as someone working 52 weeks. The Harpur Trust do have the option of appealing to the Supreme Court.
  • In reply to Teresa:

    I believe the judgment is awaited and hopefully sanity will be restored
  • In reply to Peter Stanway:

    Yes - could arrive any time really

    www.supremecourt.uk/.../uksc-2019-0209.html
  • In reply to Peter Stanway:

    While we await judgment, how should holiday pay be managed in the interim? Should term time only staff continue to have their annual leave calculated on a pro rata basis using the 12.07% while we await updates?